No One Asks for Their Life to Change (But It Does)
by HaloStarSJ
Summary: Sequel to Crash Landings. Modern Day, All Human AU. A few weeks have passed since Sansa broke Klaus's arm and when she gets a phone call in the middle of the night informing her of her parents deaths she has to fly home to Winterfell. Five year old Rickon stays with the Mikaelsons.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Part Two is finally typed up and posted! Woot woot! This one is a bit more serious and angsty then the first one. We do hope it's enjoyable nonetheless!_

 _This one is divided into chapters and I hope to have the next chapter up relatively soon._

 _Disclaimer : The Originals and Game of Thrones and their respective characters do not belong to us. Not even one little bit. We're just borrowing them and throwing them into an entirely AU modern human world of our own making. _

**No One Asks for Their Life to Change (But It Does)**

 _Ring! Ring! Ring!_

The sound of her cell phone going off on her nightstand woke her and Sansa Stark opened her eyes and looked blearily at the time.

3:17 A.M.

Frowning, she looked at the caller ID. _Robb._ Sansa frowned again. Had Robb forgotten there was a time difference? "Hello?" she answered sleepily.

"Sansa," her brother's voice said and instantly Sansa jerked to her feet, knowing by his tone that something was very wrong. "There's been an accident," Robb said unsteadily.

"What kind of accident?" Sansa asked, her heart thumping painfully in her chest.

"Car accident. Mom, Dad, and Bran went to the store," Robb said slowly. "The other driver ran a red light and crashed into them. They were hit head on."

"Oh my God," Sansa breathed, pacing agitatedly across her bedroom. "They're okay though, right? Hurt, but okay."

"Sansa." Robb's voice was full of quiet agony. "Mom and Dad didn't make it," he said thickly and without conscious thought Sansa lowered herself unsteadily to the floor, unable for the moment to fully grasp what she was being told.

Her parents couldn't be dead. They just couldn't be. This was just a really bad dream.

"Sansa?" Robb's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Bran?" she whispered, suddenly realizing Robb had only said their parents hadn't made it.

"He's alive," Robb said hoarsely. "Alive, but if he wakes up he may never walk again."

"Is this a dream?" Sansa asked quietly, tears spilling down her cheeks.

It had to be a dream.

"I wish it was," Robb's voice said. "I really wish it was."

* * *

Sansa stared numbly at her wall. Her parents were dead. Her younger brother was in a coma and was potentially paralyzed.

Slowly she picked her phone back up and stared at it instead of the wall. There were people she would need to call. People who would need to be informed. She scrolled through her contacts and one name jumped out at her. _Elijah Mikaelson._

Without thinking too much about it she tapped his name and hit call.

Elijah was the company lawyer. She would need to tell him. The Lannisters might try to use her parents death to their advantage somehow... they might... she should tell him...

All these thoughts and more went through Sansa's head but what it really came down to was that she needed... someone to talk to... A friend... and for better or worse Elijah was the first person that came to mind.

* * *

Elijah Mikaelson frowned tiredly at his caller ID. _Sansa Stark._

It wasn't unusual for him to get phone calls at all hours of the night from his younger siblings but to receive one from Sansa was... strange.

Swiping the screen he brought the phone to his ear. "Elijah Mikaelson," he said, deciding on a semi-professional greeting since he was unsure if the call was business related or not.

* * *

Hearing Elijah's voice Sansa's mouth worked soundlessly for a moment as she tried to form words but all at once everything came rushing back to her and she burst into tears, sobbing into the phone.

"I'm sorry," she gasped eventually, aware that Elijah was talking softly to her, trying to calm her down.

"Just breathe," Elijah's voice murmured soothingly. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm not hurt," Sansa whispered. "My parents... there was a car accident... they're dead."

And she was crying again, unable to stop, and through gasping breaths she forced the rest of the story out. Bran. Her poor little brother. Robb, trying to take care of things at home and about to assume control of their father's business.

* * *

On the other end of the phone Elijah closed his eyes. Both of the Stark parents gone in one fell swoop. Elijah wasn't particularly close to his own parents; Niklaus being the member of his family he was closest to and their treatment of him being somewhat... lacking... but he couldn't imagine.

"I'll be right there," he said when Sansa's words seemed to dry out.

No one should be alone after receiving that kind of news. He knew it was the right choice when Sansa answered, her voice broken and exhausted and relieved. "Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

Sansa got dressed and started the coffee pot as she waited for Elijah to arrive, deciding she would let Rickon sleep. _Rickon._ Sansa closed her eyes, wondering how she was supposed to tell her five year old brother that he would never see his parents again. She and Robb would have to decide what to do about their younger siblings. Arya was eighteen and fiercely independent but Bran was only twelve.

Rickon would probably stay with her, she thought numbly. And Bran... they would have to decide that when he woke up. _If_ he woke up.

Sighing, Sansa gazed out her kitchen window, tears running unchecked down her face.

* * *

"Henrik," Elijah murmured, poking his head into the guest bedroom where his youngest brother was sleeping for the weekend.

"Elijah? Is everything okay? I heard your phone ringing," Henrik whispered sleepily, sitting up and blinking at him.

"A friend's family was in an accident. I told her I would come. She lives on the same street as Niklaus so I'm going to drop you off there," Elijah told him and Henrik nodded, obediently getting to his feet.

"I couldn't sleep anyway," he remarked as he pulled his shoes on.

* * *

Elijah double parked outside of Klaus's house and handed Henrik his key. "Let yourself in and lie down on the couch."

"Nik has a spare room," Henrik protested, not really minding the thought of sleeping on the couch but feeling the need to point it out anyway.

"I don't know how long I'll be at Sansa's and I'm giving you my key, so - "

"If I'm on the couch I'll hear when you knock if Nik isn't awake yet," Henrik finished, yawning.

"Right," Elijah smiled, cupping the back of Henrik's head for an instant. "Try to get some sleep, brother."

* * *

With his car parked in Sansa's driveway Elijah knocked on the door and hoped he wouldn't wake Rickon.

"Come in, please," Sansa said quietly when she opened the door and despite the silent tears streaming down her face she gave him a small grateful smile. "Thank you for coming."

One glance at her was all Elijah needed and he stepped into the house and pulled her into a hug. Sansa leaned into him for a minute or two and Elijah could feel her tears dampening his shirt. "Sorry," she whispered after a bit and Elijah shook his head at her, dismissing her apology. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Please," Elijah said, suspecting Sansa needed to be doing something and she nodded and led the way to her kitchen where a freshly brewed pot was waiting.

"I don't know what I'm going to tell Rickon," she said once she had handed him a cup and offered him cream and sugar.

"Black is fine, thanks," Elijah murmured. "If you like I can be here with you when you tell him," he offered.

"Thank you," Sansa said, relieved at the idea of not having to tell him alone. It was 4:49 AM and Rickon would probably sleep for at least another hour. "I have to get us plane tickets," she said, thinking out loud. "The Lannisters will take advantage of this and I can't be here and in Winterfell at the same time," she said, her mind going distractedly to the business.

"I can help with the Lannisters. That is my job, after all," Elijah remarked. "Are you certain, however, that you want to take Rickon to Winterfell at the present time?"

"Where else would he go?" Sansa asked desperately. "Shouldn't he go to the funeral?" At the word funeral fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

"I could bring him for the funeral," Elijah offered after a moment's consideration. One way or another he would go to the funeral, whether for business reasons or for his friendship with Sansa. "It probably won't be for a couple days at least and I imagine you will want to leave as soon as possible. If Rickon stays here you can focus on the preparations and get a handle on the situation with your other brother."

"You would do that?" Sansa asked, stunned.

"If it would be helpful. I'm going to go to the funeral either way," Elijah pointed out. "Perhaps Niklaus would tolerate Rickon and myself at his house until then. That way Rickon would have Hope's company as well."

"That would be fantastic," Sansa admitted, taking a steadying sip of her coffee. "Rickon would be at ease here. We may need your help with the custody arrangements as well," she added.

"I can, of course, do my best to help with any custody issues. It should be fairly straight forward, unless you think it will be contested, but family law is not my forte. I can recommend a few names for you. Aya Al-Rashid would be at the top of the list," Elijah said.

"I can't imagine anyone contesting it," Sansa said. "I'm sorry, I know I'm all over the place right now." Sansa ran a hand over her face, already exhausted and the day hadn't even really begun yet.

* * *

"Sansa?" Rickon asked about forty minutes later, standing in the doorway of the kitchen and rubbing his eyes. "Mr. Elijah?" he asked, confused.

"Rickon," Sansa whispered, holding back tears. How was she going to tell him?

"Good morning, Rickon," Elijah greeted gently. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," Rickon whispered, walking over to Sansa and holding his arms out to her and she pulled him into her lap, hugging him close.

"Would you like to stay with Elijah and Klaus for a few days and play with Hope?" she asked softly.

"Yes!" Rickon said, happy as he always was at the thought of time with Hope. "Where would you be?"

"There's things at home I need to help with," Sansa said slowly, glancing toward Elijah and wishing she didn't have to tell her youngest brother. "There was an accident, Rickon," she said, unable to keep the sadness out of her voice and Elijah nodded reassuringly at her, his presence offering silent support.

"What accident?" Rickon asked tremulously, hearing something in her voice that scared him.

"A car accident," Sansa said, fighting tears. "Last night. Mom and Dad died, sweetheart."

Rickon frowned, not entirely grasping this new information, and looked between Elijah and his older sister. "They went to sleep?" he asked, unsure. "And they won't wake up?"

"They won't ever wake up," Sansa whispered and Rickon's thumb moved into his mouth, a habit he hadn't done for two or three years. "Bran was also in the car," Sansa continued softly and Rickon stared at her silently. "He was hurt badly but he's alive," she said and in her lap Rickon shuddered, overwhelmed, and buried his head in Sansa's shoulder, sobs wracking his small frame and Sansa drew in a breath, feeling her own tears starting again.

There was a knock on the door then and Elijah stood. "I'll get it," he said softly, placing a hand briefly on Sansa's shoulder and Sansa felt a surge of relief that he was there with her. She still had so much to do but at this moment she had to focus on being a big sister. Rickon needed her.

* * *

Klaus was standing on Sansa's front porch and Elijah pulled the door open. "Brother. Henrik said Sansa's family - " Klaus started right away and Elijah shook his head and stepped out onto the porch with his younger brother, pulling the door closed behind him.

"Her parents were killed in a car crash and her younger brother was potentially crippled. She's flying to Winterfell right away to help with funeral arrangements and her brother's care. I told her Rickon could stay with us for a few days and the day before the funeral I'll fly out with him," Elijah explained quickly.

"Of course," Klaus agreed. "How did Rickon take it?" he asked, thinking of his own daughter and feeling a pang.

"She's telling him now. I'm not certain how much he really understands," Elijah said.

* * *

"Sansa?" Klaus said softly, stepping quietly into the kitchen, trying not to startle the grieving siblings, Elijah just behind him.

Sansa looked up at the sound of her name, her eyes red rimmed and exhausted. "Hello, Klaus," she whispered, rubbing her crying brother's back.

"I have to get back to my daughter but I wanted to give my condolences. Do let me know if you need anything and of course Rickon is more than welcome with us," Klaus said.

"Thank you," Sansa said, a bit overwhelmed herself, and Rickon fell mostly silent and pulled away to look at Klaus and then back to Sansa, tears and snot on his face. "Everything will be okay," Sansa whispered to him, reaching to the sink and using the wash cloth there to wipe his face. "Do you want to go pick out some things to take with you?"

Lips quivering Rickon nodded and gave her another hug before getting down from her lap and going up the stairs to the room that would now be his permanently.

* * *

"Daddy!" Hope squealed from her position sitting on top of Henrik's back as Klaus entered the house.

"Oh good. You're back," Henrik muttered, his voice muffled due to his face being pressed into the couch cushion.

"I see you woke up while I was gone," Klaus remarked to his daughter, amused at the sight before him.

"Uh huh! And Henrik's here!" Hope said enthusiastically.

"So he is," Klaus agreed. "Uncle Elijah is going to be here too. And Rickon."

"Yay!" Hope cheered, jumping off of Henrik, giggling at his groan of relief.

"Rickon will be a little sad though, love," Klaus cautioned, kneeling down so he was eye level with his little girl.

"Why?" Hope asked, frowning.

"His mommy and daddy were in an accident and died," Klaus told her softly, his heart squeezing painfully when Hope's lip quivered.

"Died?" she repeated, her voice small.

"And Rickon's big brother is very hurt. So if Rickon doesn't want to play, or if he cries, we have to be understanding, okay littlest wolf?" Klaus prompted gently and Hope nodded solemnly before a tear trailed down her cheek and she flung herself at him.

* * *

Sansa's flight left in four hours and she and Rickon were both packing - Rickon as well as a five year old could anyway. "I can't thank you enough for being here, Elijah," Sansa said. "I honestly don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come."

"Of course." Elijah smiled faintly. "Anything you need, you should know that."

"I do," Sansa agreed. "I should check on Rickon," she said once her small bag was packed. Most of what she needed for day to day living was already at Winterfell. "Hey little man," Sansa said, entering Rickon's room to see him crying again. "Come here, buddy," she whispered, picking him up and rocking him. "It will all be okay."

"I want Mommy," Rickon cried, clutching at her.

"I know, baby. I know," Sansa said, stifling a sob. _'I want her too,'_ she thought, squeezing her eyes shut as tears once again dripped down her face.


	2. An Encounter

_**Disclaimer**_ _: Still not ours._

 **Chapter Two**

"Are you going to die, Daddy?" Hope whispered and Klaus turned from where he was mixing pancake batter to regard his daughter.

"Not for a long time, I hope," he said. "Do you know what dying is, love?" he asked, curious about how much she was really understanding.

"Like Cami?" Hope asked in a small voice and Klaus's breath caught in his throat. "Mommy says she died and we can never see her again but she still shows me a picture when I ask. She says Cami was good for you and she wishes I knew her."

"So do I," Klaus breathed, overcome and wondering how he could have failed to know Hayley spoke of Cami to their child. He had always meant to himself...

"That's what dead means, right Daddy?" Hope asked and Klaus forced himself to nod.

"Right, littlest wolf. That's what it means."

"So Rickon can never see his mommy and daddy again?" Hope asked, tears in her eyes.

"No he can't," Klaus agreed softly.

* * *

"Ready to go?" Sansa asked Rickon. "I need to drop you off at Klaus's and then head to the airport."

"Ready," Rickon said, taking Sansa's hand and together they left the house and walked down a few houses to the Mikaelson home and knocked on the door.

Klaus opened it immediately and ushered them in out of the cold. "Elijah will be right down," he said. "He wanted to grab a quick shower before he drove you to the airport."

"Thank you for everything," Sansa sighed, looking down at her red eyed little brother. "It will only be a couple of days," she told him gently.

"It won't be so bad and you'll see your sister again before you know it," Klaus added, winking at the little boy and guiding the two Starks into the living room where Henrik was dozing on the couch.

"Sissy, whose that?" Rickon asked, pointing to the sleeping Henrik.

"My guess would be the youngest Mikaelson sibling," Sansa said, glancing at Klaus questioningly and he nodded. "Henrik," Sansa said, remembering the name Elijah had told her.

"Right you are," Klaus said, lightly nudging Henrik as he walked toward the stairs. "Hope?" he called.

"She's here," Elijah's voice answered and an instant later he came into sight, his hair wet and Hope sitting on his arm.

"Rickon!" Hope called, spotting her friend and Henrik startled awake. "Hi, Rickon!" Hope said excitedly as Elijah put her down at the bottom of the stairs and she ran forward to hug her friend.

Rickon accepted her hug but as soon as she let go he burst into tears. Sansa knelt down beside him and pulled him into a hug. "It's okay," she whispered, looking up at Elijah despairingly.

"I'm sorry," Hope whispered, scared at her friend's reaction and turning back to her uncle and lifting her arms to him.

"It's not your fault," Elijah murmured, picking her up as he met Sansa's gaze.

"Do you like pancakes, Rickon?" Klaus asked, his voice light and gentle as Hope buried her head on Elijah's shoulder.

"Yes," Rickon sniffed, looking up at Klaus, his cheeks wet.

"There we go," Sansa whispered, slowly standing back up. "Pancakes are one of your favorites," she told him.

"Who doesn't like pancakes?" Henrik offered from where he was sitting on the couch. "I'm Henrik by the way."

"Hello, Henrik," Sansa said. "I'm Sansa and this is Rickon."

"Hi," Rickon said, sniffling. "Sorry Hope," he whispered, staring at the floor.

"I didn't mean to," Hope said without lifting her head from Elijah's shoulder.

"You didn't do anything, sweetheart," Sansa said softly. "Right, Rickon?"

"Right," Rickon agreed, rubbing his eyes.

"Don't you want pancakes?" Elijah asked his niece.

"I had pancakes already," Hope sniffed, lifting her head.

"But pancakes!" Henrik wheedled.

"'Kay," Hope said as Elijah put her down, shyly looking at Rickon and offering her hand and Rickon waved at his sister and closed his own hand around Hope's before going into the kitchen with her.

"Apparently they're going to get married some day," Sansa said, laughing lightly. "That's what Rickon tells me anyway."

Klaus, about to follow the kids into the kitchen, blanched. "We better get going if you want to make your flight," Elijah told Sansa quickly, trying to hide his laughter.

"Okay," Sansa sighed. "Rickon, I'm leaving," she called toward the kitchen and Rickon came back out to hug her. "I'll call the moment I get there. Be good," Sansa told him.

"Okay, Sissy," Rickon agreed, subdued now that the moment of departure had arrived. "Bye," he whispered, hurrying back to the kitchen before anyone could see the tears pricking at his eyes.

"Call me if he gives you any trouble," Sansa said, watching her brother sadly. "I doubt he will, but..." She trailed off, shrugging. "It was nice to meet you, Henrik. I think Finn is the only one I haven't met now."

Henrik snorted and Klaus grinned. "Count your blessings, Sansa," he said, winking.

"I think I will," Sansa chuckled.

"Have a safe flight," Klaus added as he headed into the kitchen after the kids.

* * *

Rickon was eating his pancakes with Hope and Henrik when the morning conversation with Sansa came drifting back through his head. His parents were sleeping and would never wake up again and his older brother was badly hurt.

Tears fell down his face but he wiped them away, remembering that he was a big boy and big boys didn't cry. That's what Arya had told him and Rickon figured she must be right because he had never seen Robb or Jon cry. He would be like them. He wouldn't cry anymore.

"Hey, little dude, you okay?" Henrik asked, watching Rickon from over his own plate of pancakes.

"Yes," Rickon whispered, reaffirming to himself that he would not cry. Not here. No matter how much he wanted to or how much he wanted his mommy and daddy.

Hope smiled tentatively at her friend, thinking of the blond Cami woman her mommy had told her about who she would never see, and reached under the table to grip Rickon's hand and when their fingers touched he smiled shakily.

"What do you want to do after pancakes?" Rickon asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"Play in the snow?" Hope asked. "Henrik makes good snowmen," she added, looking admiringly at the twelve year old.

"'Kay," Rickon said softly.

"Henrik, will you make snowmen with us?" Hope asked, pushing her plate away once she had finished.

"We're leaving for your dad's appointment when Elijah gets back so you guys might not be allowed outside right now," Henrik said. "He's getting his cast off, remember?"

"Can we play blocks?" Rickon asked, frowning a little. "I brought mine."

"I like blocks," Hope said agreeably, following Rickon to the living room where he left his stuff and sitting on the floor with him.

* * *

Henrik was resignedly clearing the dishes from the table when Klaus poked his head into the kitchen. "Elijah called; he's on his way back. Could you keep an eye on the little ones while I get dressed?"

"Okay," Henrik agreed, happily leaving the dishes behind and going into the living room and plopping down on the floor beside his niece.

"We can build a castle," Rickon was saying. "Bran is really good at making castles," he said, his lip trembling a little.

"I like castles," Hope said, willing to build whatever her friend wanted.

"I bet you have some dragon toys, right?" Henrik asked Hope. "We could use them to guard the castle. Do you like dragons?" he asked, directing the last to Rickon.

"Yes, but wolves are better," Rickon said, scrambling to his bag and pulling out a big stuffed black wolf. "His name is Shaggydog!"

Henrik fought a shudder. He didn't like wolves. He had no intention of admitting it but they scared him. He didn't even really know why, they just... did.

 _Ripping, clawing, vicious..._

Henrik forced his thoughts away and smiled at the little boy. "He looks really soft," he offered, casting about for something positive to say. "I bet he's comfortable to sleep with."

"He's the best," Rickon said, hugging his toy. "I lost him once but Sissy found him for me. Her cat Lily took him."

* * *

Sansa was about to board the plane when she suddenly remembered Lily. With everything going on she hadn't even given the poor cat a thought.

Silently berating herself for her forgetfulness she quickly called Elijah but the phone went to voicemail.

"Hey, Elijah, it's Sansa. I'm about to get on the plane but I forgot all about Lily. Would you guys be able to take care of her while I'm away? Rickon has a spare key to the house in his bag. Thank you again for all your help."

Sighing, Sansa hung up, hoping Elijah would have no objections to adding the cat sitting to the list of favors he and his family were doing for her.

* * *

"I'm back," Elijah said, walking into the living room and smiling at the three kids surrounded by blocks.

"Uncle 'Lijah!" Hope exclaimed excitedly, running into his arms.

"Is Sissy flying yet?" Rickon asked. "She doesn't like flying." He had been on a plane with her once and she had pretended not to be scared but she had gripped the hand rest so hard her fingers had turned white.

"The plane should be taking off about now, yes," Elijah said, putting Hope back on the floor and glancing at his watch. "And I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Do you want to see Shaggydog?" Rickon asked, getting up and shyly holding his stuffed wolf out. "Sissy gave him to me for my birthday."

"He's very fierce looking," Elijah remarked, kneeling down to be eye level with Rickon. "I bet you know you're safe with him."

Rickon smiled and suddenly hugged Elijah, needing the contact, before going back to his position on the floor.

"We're going to be leaving to go to the doctor's to get Niklaus's cast off very soon. Do you all have shoes on?" Elijah asked.

"I don't but they're right here!" Hope said, scrambling for her shoes.

"Can we build snowmen when we get back?" Rickon asked, looking up at Elijah.

"I don't see why not," Elijah remarked as Hope came over to him again so he could tie her shoes.

"I cannot wait to get this bloody thing off!" Klaus announced, scratching at the cast on his arm as he came down the stairs. "And then I am never going under another tree again!"

"You caught Sissy before she hit the ground," Rickon said solemnly. "She said so."

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," Klaus allowed, ruffling Rickon's hair and smirking lightly.

"Sansa broke Daddy's arm and hurt his head and he kept falling asleep in the snow but Uncle 'Lijah told me to keep him awake," Hope frowned, her voice subdued as she remembered sitting in the cold snow with her daddy and Sansa.

"She didn't mean to," Rickon protested. "She was sad to hurt Mr. Klaus!" Rickon looked earnestly at Klaus as he spoke. "I heard her say that a lot!"

"I know," Klaus assured Rickon. "And I'm okay now, littlest wolf," he added to his daughter.

"It was still scary," Hope whispered, her thumb going in her mouth. "Right Uncle 'Lijah?" she asked, appealing to her uncle.

"Very," Elijah agreed quietly, his eyes meeting his brother's. "We all know Sansa didn't mean to hurt anyone and no one is blaming her," he said, smiling at Rickon. "It doesn't mean the people who care about Niklaus weren't worried though."

Rickon nodded, fighting the urge to suck his own thumb - remembering how he had already done so earlier today and feeling a flash of embarrassment - and forced a smile for Hope. She was his best friend and he didn't like when she was upset. It made him feel even more upset but he wasn't going to cry.

Klaus tapped his daughter's nose affectionately, earning himself a small smile, before turning to Henrik. "You'll be fine here while we're gone, little brother?" he asked, knowing that with both of the kids' car seats Henrik wouldn't really fit.

"Duh," Henrik said, rolling his eyes before grinning.

"Let's go then," Elijah said, holding the door open and letting everyone file out ahead of him.

* * *

"Whose up for McDonald's?" Klaus asked, stretching his newly freed arm out and grinning, in high spirits now that he had the use of both of his arms again.

"Me!" Rickon said eagerly. "Can I have chicken nuggets and fries?"

"Rickon!" a voice called from behind them. "Rickon Stark!"

Looking up Rickon stiffened in fear when he saw the man coming toward them and without thinking he grabbed Elijah's hand and hid behind him, pulling Hope with him.

Klaus and Elijah's eyes met, brows raised at Rickon's reaction, and Klaus smoothly stepped beside his brother, the kids hidden from view just behind them.

"May we help you?" Elijah asked coolly.

The stranger smiled at them, his grin wide and toothy, and held out his hand. "Ramsay Bolton," he introduced himself. "I saw Rickon and thought that his lovely sister might be with him."

"Yes, well as you can see she is not," Klaus said, not taking the offered hand.

Elijah smiled, the polite expression not reaching his eyes. "Good day."

The smile slipped off Ramsay's face then for just an instant before it quickly reappeared. "Good day," he echoed, taking his hand back. "Rickon, do tell Sansa hello for me. I miss her terribly."

Rickon couldn't help the slight whimper that escaped his throat then and he tightened his grip on Elijah's hand, quickly looking down at his feet, and Elijah squeezed his hand back reassuringly.

"He doesn't like you!" Hope said fiercely, peering around her father to glare at Ramsay.

"Hope," Rickon whispered, pulling her back.

"I wouldn't know why," Ramsay said, smirking at what he could see of the little girl.

"It's time for you to leave," Klaus told Ramsay, his eyes glinting, not like this man addressing his daughter at all.

"I would have to agree," Elijah said, sounding bored and Ramsay looked between the two of them and seemed to debate with himself for a moment.

"Goodbye then," he said finally, his eyes finding Rickon's again before he turned and walked away and Rickon let out a shaky breath, once more fighting tears.

"I take it you've met him before?" Elijah murmured, kneeling down to the children's level, noting that Rickon was still clinging desperately to his hand.

Rickon nodded. "I spilled my juice on him," he whispered, tears in his eyes. "He t-tried to h-hit me but Sissy s-stopped him but then he hit her." Tears fell down Rickon's cheeks despite his efforts not to cry. "I didn't m-mean to get Sissy h-hurt."

"You didn't. It wasn't your fault," Elijah said gently, making a note to talk to Sansa about this. "Just like it wasn't Sansa's fault that Niklaus got hurt. That was an accident and when you spilled your juice was an accident too, right?"

"Right," Rickon agreed, sniffling. "He smiles but he's mean," he whispered, looking almost imploringly at Elijah and Elijah nodded.

"I believe you," he told the little boy softly. "And you know what else? Even if you _had_ spilled your juice on purpose, he would _still_ be wrong to try to hit you."

"'Cause he's a bad guy and people who hit are mean," Hope said, standing close to Rickon.

"Right," Elijah agreed, smiling slightly and glancing up at Klaus, including him every bit as the children with his next words. "And it is never the child's fault when an adult is mean."

Rickon threw himself into Elijah's arms then, still trembling a little, and over his head Elijah saw Klaus take a deep steadying breath and for a moment he could see the child his little brother had been.

"Let's get our McDonald's to go, shall we?" Klaus said once Rickon released Elijah, his joviality of a few moments ago somewhat dampened and the kids nodded in agreement.

"Are we getting any for Henrik?" Hope asked, not wanting the older boy to miss out.

"I suppose," Klaus said, rolling his eyes and pretending exasperation and Hope giggled.

* * *

"You are aware we were followed, right?" Klaus murmured to Elijah once they were home and had eaten and Hope and Rickon, along with Henrik, had trooped out to the back yard to build snowmen.

"I'm aware," Elijah told him, taking a sip of coffee. "If he makes any further moves I'll call some contacts."

* * *

Sansa's plane landed safe and sound and as promised the first thing she did was call Elijah's cell. As the phone rang in her ear she spotted Robb and started moving toward him.

"Sansa," Elijah greeted from the other end. "How was the flight?"

"Long," Sansa said, stepping in front of her brother and giving him a quick hug. "The man next to me kept trying to use me as a pillow and he snored and drooled."

"How very charming," Elijah's voice remarked, sounding amused.

"It was something," Sansa said tiredly and Robb smiled slightly. "How's Rickon doing?"

"Very well behaved," Elijah said. "Before I get him for you though, we ran into a Ramsay Bolton today outside of the doctor's office. Rickon was a little frightened but he's okay now."

"That twisted son of bit-"

"Sansa!" Robb interrupted sharply, cutting her off with a smirk.

"I swear if he touches him, Elijah, I'll need you to represent me because I'll murder him!" Sansa said and Robb's smirk disappeared.

"He made no moves toward Rickon," Elijah's voice said soothingly, and on the other end of the phone he thought privately of the way Bolton had looked at Rickon and the way he had smirked at Hope. He thought also of the car that had followed them, careful to stay back...

There was nothing Sansa could do about that though and it was very possible Bolton wouldn't do anything else...

"He asked after you mostly. And Niklaus and I politely suggested he leave."

"I see," Sansa said slowly. "Thank you. May I talk to Rickon for a moment?"

"Of course," Elijah said, gesturing outside and Klaus, getting the hint, got up to call Rickon in. "Your sister," Elijah told the little boy once he was in front of him, handing over the phone.

"Sissy!" Rickon said excitedly. "We're building snowmen! Henrik can make really big ones!"

"Wow!" Sansa exclaimed, duly impressed.

"I saw the bad man," Rickon said softly, suddenly subdued.

"I know, sweetheart, but you're safe," Sansa told him. "Elijah and Klaus won't let anything happen to you."

"I know," Rickon smiled at the two Mikaelsons.

"Do you want to say hi to Robb?" Sansa asked softly.

"Yes!" Rickon said happily.

"Hey, little man," Robb said, taking the phone.

Beaming, Rickon repeated the day's events to his oldest brother, only leaving out the bit about Ramsay.

"Hey, Rickon," Sansa said once she had her phone back. "We love you. Let me talk to Elijah again, please."

"She wants to talk to you," Rickon said, offering the phone to Elijah.

"Hello?" Elijah said into the phone, smiling at Rickon.

"Did you get my message about Lily?" Sansa asked.

"I did and it shouldn't be a problem. And Niklaus has agreed to carry on taking care of her once Rickon and I leave for Winterfell," Elijah said.

"Thank you so much, Elijah. And I'm sorry about Lily. With everything that's happened I completely forgot until I was boarding the plane," Sansa said, stressed.

"Quite alright," Elijah murmured and Sansa sighed.

"Thank you," she said again. "Listen, I have to go but tell Klaus I'm glad he got his cast off today."

"Certainly. Hang in there, Sansa. I'll see you in a couple days," Elijah said reassuringly.

* * *

"Arya couldn't get a flight until tomorrow," Robb told Sansa as they drove to the hospital. "It was so sudden, Sansa," he said, staring at the road and swallowing thickly. "They just went to the store. I had a date." A tear trailed down Robb's cheek.

"It's not your fault," Sansa whispered, fighting her own tears. "I'm glad you weren't in the car. I can't lose anyone else. _We_ can't. How's Bran?"

"Better than they thought at first." Robb smiled weakly. "They're almost certain he'll wake up. But... but they're saying he won't have use of his legs. We have to wait until he wakes up to know for certain, but..."

"At least he's alive," Sansa whispered.

"Yeah," Robb agreed, his breath hitching.

* * *

"How about you go play with Hope and Henrik a little longer and then you and I will go feed Lily while dinner is being prepared?" Elijah asked Rickon, raising a brow.

"Okay!" Rickon agreed, running back outside.

* * *

From the car he watched the brat play with the little loud mouthed runt and the older boy.

Sansa belonged to him. She was _his_. And she would have to pick her brother up some time.

He watched and waited.


End file.
